A Day For Reflection - Remembering the Montreal Massacre

By 250 News

Ceremony of Remembrance at UNBC Winter Garden

They came to sing a song, read a poem, or just to share their thoughts on violence against women at UNBC's Winter Garden over the noon hour to mark "National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women."

One of the organizers, Belinda Lee, opened the ceremony by re-living the events of December 6th, 1989, when gunman Mark Lepine stormed into L'Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, killing 14 women.  Lee says the school day was nearing an end when gunshots pierced the air and in less than 30-minutes the largest massacre in Canadian history had been committed.

Lee says today represents a time to pause and reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women.

Tyson Purdy-Smith used her time on stage to sing a song she had composed for the day.

Dr. Howard Brunt, UNBC's Vice-President (Academic) and Provost, told the small crowd gathered that the Montreal massacre was a tragedy experienced on many levels.  On the personal level, he says it devastated the victims' families and friends and also made people feel vulnerable.

On a societal level, Dr. Brunt says, it left people asking, "How could something so monstrous happen, here, in Canada?"

He says we need to grieve and remember the tragedy annually -- to come together and seek answers to ensure such violence never happens again. 

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us